A Brief History of Popcorn Shrimp

A Brief History of Popcorn Shrimp

Unlike some of the current fried food trends like hot chicken, other concepts have been popular for decades. One of these trends is the ever-famous popcorn shrimp, which has a variety of inventors depending on who you ask. So what is the true history of popcorn shrimp?

According to some, Red Lobster invented popcorn shrimp in 1974. Along with other seafood items like snow crab and calamari, many site this longstanding Darden operation for introducing much of the United States to these types of seafood.

Others, however, claim Creole and Cajun chef Paul Prudhomme invented popcorn shrimp along the coast of Louisiana. The practice of de-shelling and taking the tails off of very small shrimp became popular because they could be eaten by the handfuls. Regardless, the trend still exists today, and world-renown chefs like Nobu Matsuhisa are even offering their own unique versions of popcorn shrimp in their popular restaurant empires.

Serving Popcorn Shrimp in Restaurants: An Important Consideration

Though shrimp spend their lives in water, it’s the few moments they spend in a commercial fryer that can make or break the quality of popcorn shrimp. If the oil inside the fryer is not properly managed, the foods cooked within that fryer will be poor in quality.

Frying oil filtration is an important aspect of managing this oil. From keeping an oil log to using the right oil filtration pad, implementing best practices will result in higher quality foods and happier customers.

Get the basics on oil filtration in our short video on oil management best practices.